Adaptive Photograph Grouping via Time Distance Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing photograph grouping devices face challenges in achieving high precision due to the use of fixed threshold values, which fail to adapt to changes in the character of the event or user's photographing disposition, leading to inaccurate grouping of photographs.

Innovation Solution

A photograph grouping device that detects changes in photographing disposition by selecting proximate data based on a time distance constraint, allowing for adaptive determination of group boundaries without being affected by unrelated photographs, and using statistics such as photographing density and interval to refine the grouping process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a fixed threshold value is used to determine group boundaries, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of photographing disposition changes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrouping device structureVSAvoidphotographing disposition detection precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by replacing the fixed threshold value with a dynamic threshold determination mechanism. The threshold is no longer static but is determined based on the actual distribution of photographing time intervals in the input data. This allows the grouping device to adapt to varying photographing patterns while maintaining reasonable computational complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of threshold value from a fixed constant to a dynamically determined value based on statistical analysis of photographing time intervals. By calculating the threshold based on the standard deviation and mean of adjacent photographing time intervals, the system achieves higher precision in detecting photographing disposition changes without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If all photographing time data is used for threshold determination, then the measurement precision improves, but the reliability deteriorates due to inclusion of unrelated photographs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethreshold determination precisionVSAvoidgrouping accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the photographing time data by introducing a time distance constraint that divides the data into relevant and unrelated portions. Only photographing time intervals within the constraint distance from the current time point are used for threshold determination, effectively segmenting out unrelated photographs that would otherwise contaminate the statistical analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making the threshold determination locally relevant to each time point rather than globally uniform. The time distance constraint ensures that only locally relevant photographing data (within the constraint distance) influences the threshold calculation at each point, improving both precision and reliability by excluding distant unrelated photographs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a time distance constraint is introduced to select proximate data, then the reliability of grouping improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegroup boundary determination accuracyVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the photographing time intervals between adjacent photographs before the threshold determination process. This preliminary calculation of time intervals simplifies the subsequent threshold determination, as the system only needs to compare pre-computed interval values against the threshold rather than performing complex time difference calculations during the grouping process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes a complex mechanical filtering process with a simple mathematical comparison. Instead of implementing complex logic to identify and exclude unrelated photographs, the system uses a straightforward time distance constraint comparison, replacing what would otherwise require complex decision-making mechanics with simple arithmetic operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8352471B2Photograph grouping device, photograph grouping method and photograph grouping program

Publication Date: 2013.01.08 NEC CORP

AI summary

The proximate data selecting unit (photographing time distance base proximate data selecting unit) selects, as a proximate photograph, a photograph having a photographing time satisfying constraint on a time distance from a determination time determined in each adjacent photographs block as a time block sandwiched by photographing times of two photographs adjacent to each other in a group of photographs aligned in the order of photographing based on time series photographing time information and outputs proximate data designation information for designating photographing time data of the proximate photograph. The group boundary determining unit detects a change of a photographing disposition in each adjacent photographs block by using photographing time data of a proximate photograph at a determination time in each adjacent photographs block which is designated by the proximate data designation information, thereby determining whether there exists a boundary of a group in each adjacent photographs block.